Improvement in christmas-tree lamps



P SIBLEY. Christmas-Tree Lamp.

No. 217,908. Patented-luly29, 1879.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK SIBLEY, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN CHRISTMAS-TREE LAMPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 217,908, dated July 29,1879 application filed May 28, 1879.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that .l, FRANK SIBLEY, ofBuffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements on a Christmas-Tree Lamp; and I dohereby declare that the following description of my said invention,taken in connection with the accompanying sheet of drawings, forms afull, clear, and exact specification, which will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. i

This invention has general reference to a new and improved article ofmanufacturea Christmas-tree lamp; and its object is the production ofanextremely cheap and serviceable article.

To attain this end I construct my Christmastree lamp as illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, already referred to, in which- Figure 1 is aperspective view of my lamp ready for delivery to the trade. Fig. 2 is afront elevation. Figs. 3, 4., 5, and 6 are longitudinal sectionalelevations. Fig. 7 is a perspective view, and Fig. 9 an edge view, ofthe disk. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the holder. Fig. 10 is a planof the bowl.

Like parts are designated by corresponding letters of reference in allthe various figures.

A indicates the bowl or reservoir for the fuel (liquid or solid) of myChristmas-tree lamp. I prefer to produce this bowl entire in the processof draw-stampingfrom sheet metal, which gives a body without a seam.This body has in its bottom a slotted aperture, (4, Fig. 10, withinwhich is inserted a combined wick and lamp holder, H, Fig. 8, consistingof a strip of metal bent centrally into an eye, 0, and provided with anaperture, 1), for the passage of the wicking E, the two parallel membersI) I) of said holder being passed through the said aperture a, and thenclinched on the under side of the bottom, as shown at F, Figs. 4 and 5.

Into the bowl A, I place a radiating disk, G, having centrally a rise,g, with an aperture, g, for the passage of the wick E; and it may beprovided with a flange, h, Fig. 7, in which case the disk is convertedinto a float, as hereinafter more fully referred to.

I prefer to furnish this article of manufacture to the trade in thecondition shown in Fig. 1, where the members b I) of the holder are in aflat state, thus facilitating packing and transportation. To attach itto a tree, nothing remains to be done but to bend the prongs I) b, asshown at H, Fig. 2, to embrace the limb H, Fig. 6, of a Christmas-tree,and thus retain it securely in position.

In manufacturing this article I proceed as follows: Having struck up mybottoms A and formed the holder H, as shown in Fig. 8, I insert thewicking E into the aperture D in said holder, and then pass the latterinto the slot to in the bowl A, after which I clinch the prongs b b, andthen solder the holder centrally to the bottom at F. I now, orsimultaneously with clinching the prongs b b, flatten the eye 0, (iffound necessar whereby the wicking E is tightly embraced by said eye 0,and thus .supported centrally within the bowl A.' Having now filled thereservoir A with preferably solid fuel, such as bees-wax, paraffine,&c., I place the disk Gr upon the contents of said bowl, and then packthe goods ready for the trade.

It will be observed that thislamp would be complete without the diskG--that is to say, the contents of the bowl A may be consumed bycombustion without the use of said disk; but since the heat radiatingfrom the flame L will rapidly melt the contents of the bowl A, andthereby materially assist the wicking in conducting the combustiblematter to the flame, the said matter would be exhausted in a short spaceof time, and give a greater light than required for the purpose forwhich my lamp is particularly designed.- To prevent this I place thesaid disk in the bowl, which disk will abstract sufflcient heat from theflame to cause a comparatively slow combustion, and thereby allow thelight to burn twice or three times as long as could be done without saiddisk. This disk, resting upon the solid fuel, protects the same duringtransportation, 850., and, after the combustible matter is renderedliquid, as described, will, in many instances, float upon the liquid.This latter quality, however, is not essential, and the disk may sinkunder but still protrude, with its raised center 9, to aceomplish itsobject of abstracting heat from the flame. To keep it afloat, I mayprovide it with a raised flange, h, whereby it (the disk) will beconverted into a vessel, and thus accomplish the desired object.

Owing to the peculiar and novel combination and construction of parts,my lamp may be manufactured at a nominal figure, and sold to theconsumer at a price not exceeding that of a common wax candle used forChristmastree ornamentation and illumination.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure to me by Letters Patent 1. In Christmas-tree lamps, the bowl A,having the holder H fixed to its under side, said holder having themembers I) 1) adapted to be clinched to the branches of a Christmasiree,substantially as and for the object stated.

, 2. The combination, with the bowl A, having the slotted aperture a, ofthe combined wick-support and bolder H, consisting of a strip of metalbent into the form described, and passed through said aperture 01, asand for the object stated.

3. In Christmas-tree lamps, the combination, with thebowl A, of awick-support and holder,

whereby said bowl is rendered capable of bein g removably fixed to aChristmas-tree, substantially as and for the use and purpose indicated.

4. The flanged disk Gr, having the central rise, with the aperture g,adapted to be used as a float upon the liquid fuel I, and to serve as aheat-abstractor, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. The combination, with the bowl A, of thewick-support, the disk G, andthe holder barf-- ing the two prongs b b, adapted to be bent in themanner as and for the purpose mentioned.

6. The holder H, having the eye 0, with the aperture D, and the membersb I), combined with the bowl A, substantially in the manner describedand specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have heretoset my hand and affixed my seal in the presence of two subscribingwitnesses.

FRANK SIBLEY. [L. s.] Attest:

MICHAEL J. STARK, JNo. STARK.

